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Wednesday, December 21, 2011

Make-shift Gingerbread

Yesterday when Sue mentioned she'd made Trader Joe's gingerbread mix(in a box in fact), wheels started turning. Off to TJ's to search and reconnoiter. This morning I took one look and decided I would try making gingerbread cookies out of these puppies. Why not? It was easy to knead the lumps into a ball and roll out..

Pigs and rabbits here I come!

The dough comes with a packet of crytallized sugar for decor. I added in some cinnamon for extra umph...

Butter a sheet of foil and press it into an 8-inch by 8-inch pan so the foil hangs over the sides. Butter any exposed sides of the pan. Set this near the stove.

Combine the cream, butter, vanilla and salt in a small saucepan over medium heat. Warm just enough to melt the butter. Remove from heat and cover to keep warm.

Combine the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves in a small bowl. Set this near the stove as well.

In a 4-quart or larger saucepan, stir the sugar, corn syrup, water and molasses until they come together into a uniform paste. Avoid splashing sugar crystals on the side of the pan; if you do, wipe them away with a pastry brush or cloth dipped in water. Clip a candy thermometer to the side of the pan.

Turn the heat to just above medium. Bring the sugar mixture to a boil and cook to 310 F. Whisk the cream mixture slowly into the sugar. The sugar will bubble and triple in bulk before settling again. Stop whisking and cook the caramel to 245 F for softer caramels or 250 F for firmer caramels.

Whisk in the spices and pour the caramel into the prepared pan. Do not scrape the bottom of the pan because this sometimes contains crystallized sugar. Allow to cool completely overnight.

To finish: Pull the caramel block from the pan using the foil. Cut the caramel into strips and then into individual squares. If candy is sticky, spray nonstick coating on your knife. Wrap each caramel in wax paper. Caramels keep for a month in an airtight container.

What have I been baking of late? OY!!! So much but I like doing it. Pumpkin pies, Cranberry Upside Down Cakes, Chocolate Truffle Cookies, Gateau de Metz, Sables Normands, Pistachio-Cranberry Icebox cookies and various fruit clafoutis. I'm exhausted. Happy but exhausted.Cheers,StephanPS-Have a great Christmas and New Year.

Love the pigs and rabbits! Yes...make those homemade m'mallows! I'm tempted to follow your links and try. Baking Cinnamon Madeleines here, and a gingerbread bundt cake in my rather ordinary pan...wish I had the cathedral version! Happy Holidays Carol, and thanks for your posts; as always, an artistic, fun and lovely potpourri.

wow ... el speedo .. of to TJ's ... I love Gingerbread cookies but from scratch I discovered are a little tricky .... thanks for the post and a great year of Paris Breakfasts ... my FAVE of whole year was Helen Miren at Louis ... xo

Thank you for the yummy leads! I just received an early Christmas/birthday present last night of the KitchenAid Artisan mixer of my dreams (the Empire Red one with the glass bowl)! Now I've got inspiration for using it thanks to PB. ;-))

Carol, we are going to TJ/s tomorrow. Now the hot chocolate is on my list, the cookie mix and they have King Arthur flour and I'm going to make my mother's butterballs. with pecans. However; that ginger caramel looks so amazing and would make such lovely gifts. What great readers you have!xxjulie

Preheat oven at 350 degrees. Combine all the dry ingredients first and make sure they're blended. Then, cut in the butter to resemble coarse crumbs. Stir in the molasses and egg. Once it's all mixed together, shape the dough into quarter-sized balls, on a cookie sheet. Bake for 10-12 minutes. Cool on racks and eat.

We are finally getting a TJ in SW FL! It should be open soon but I don't think it will be in time for Christmas. I made the traditional cookie from my husband's mother. It's unique, no one else has ever heard of or seen it and they are delish. They are called Fruit Sticks. I bake them and send them to my adult children who need a little taste of their childhood this time of year.

HAA-HAA-HAAAA!Jeanette; I love your sense of humor.Furry rabbits indeed.Tomorrow I'm breaking out my wife's tin cookie shapes and making some very funky PANCAKES! Now if only I could find some furry syrup.TJs?Jeanette...?Help!

You are too cute. I haven't been baking lately (as in, about 8 months) but today alone, I had a package of goat milk salted caramels, dried pineapple and Vosges red hot dark chocolate. I can hardly wait to see what sweets are in store for tomorrow...

oh please make the marshmallows! i want to read all about it. I love this about the baking. I am doing nothing, ugh. BUT now i may just stop in at Trader Joe's $2.99 is a steal. Thank you for enlightening me ;)

Paris Letters

♥carol gillott♥

l'Ile Saint Louis, Paris, Ile de France, France

Hi I'm Carol Gillott,
My Mom taught me watercolors at 5. I'm still at it, now tripping over cobblestones, living in a 6th-floor garret on l'Ile Saint-Louis, Paris. Read Parisbreakfast with a hot chocolate and croissant.
I paint Paris breakfasts.